A young couple who left their newborn to die in a motel room and abandoned the body for days has been sentenced to seven years in prison, with an appellate court upholding the original ruling.
The Gwangju High Court on Tuesday upheld the sentences of the 29-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, both convicted of child abuse resulting in death and abandonment of a corpse.
The couple, who were in a relationship, were found to have neglected their baby after giving birth in a motel in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, between June and July last year. The infant died 67 days after birth.
Prosecutors said the pair failed to seek medical care for the child, who was never registered and did not receive vaccinations or medical checkups. The baby was kept in unsanitary conditions and deprived of basic care, according to investigators.
After discovering the infant’s death, the couple left the body in the motel room for about 10 days, concealed under trash, the investigation found.
Both the defendants and prosecutors appealed the lower court ruling, arguing that the sentences were inappropriate. The appellate court dismissed both appeals, ruling that the original sentences were justified.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
